In April of 2017, Aiteo Group (an oil and gas company) signed an agreement with the NFF that includes a ?2.5 billion Federation Cup sponsorship; this deal will take care of the competition for the estimated next five years. This led to the competition being renamed Aiteo Cup.
The deal was appreciated by many football loving citizens because it would also help to alienate the situations –embarrassing situations- where the NFF have been unable to pay coaches.
However, the company have let their feelings known regarding the way the NFF have not met up with their obligations which includes: providing visibility for the sponsors during the Federation Cup competition and when the national teams had fixtures.
An official whose name was withheld had said:
“They told us that the Aiteo Cup would be a media event, which means the competition will be widely publicized, but it is almost coming to an end and newspapers and broadcast media seem to know nothing about what is happening.”
He alleged that the deal is about ?5 billion and that if the NFF continues on this chosen path, the company will be forced to review their terms and relationship.
The Aiteo Cup is now in its quarter-final round in the men’s category and Plateau United have qualified after beating Akwa Starlets 2-1and joining them are Akwa United, Sunshine Stars, FC IfeanyiUbah, ABS FC and Osun United. While Niger Tornadoes will replay their fixture with FC Abuja after the first leg ended 0-0 and same goes with Kastina United Feeders and Ekiti United who played out a 1-1 draw.
In the women’s category, Confluence Queens, Edo Queens, Rivers Angels and Nasarawa Amazons have made it into the quarter-finals and the remaining four spots will be fought for by: Pelican Stars and FC Robo Queens, Jokodolu Babes and Abia Angels, Osun Babes and Ibom Angels and Sunshine Queens joust with Bayelsa Queens.
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